Successful Commercial Haulage Insurance Claims
When it comes to insuring your commercial haulage business, you’ll be looking for comprehensive, affordable cover that will properly protect your business and all those that work in it. But, here’s the bad news. You’ll only find out how good your cover really is when you come to make a claim.
The key to a successful commercial haulage insurance claim is making sure you get the right cover when you renew or start a new policy. Your broker needs to spend time with you getting the most up-to-date and accurate information about your transport fleet and your wider business operation. Having assessed your business needs with you and looked at the risks involved in a number of areas, he or she will be in a strong position to advise you of the cover that suits your business. Failure to disclose information or claiming you were unaware of something important that you should have been, may even result in an insurance claim being rejected.
The good news is that an experienced commercial insurance broker can take you through a comprehensive review to make sure you’re aware of all the risks involved and to make sure that your policy will usually pay out if you have to make a claim. If you’re running a commercial haulage firm, here are our five top tips for making sure your claims succeed.
Update your broker as your business changes – New legislation that came into force in August 2016 (The Insurance Act 2015) means that the onus is now on you to let your broker know if there are significant changes to your business during the year that might affect your policy. If you have a good working relationship your broker will be in touch with you on a regular basis and you can make sure they are aware of what’s happening. This is the time of year when there are many more vehicles on the road. Many haulage firms increase the numbers of vehicles they’re running and take on more drivers to cope with the massive spike in deliveries in the run up to Christmas. Remember to let your broker know what’s changed in your business.
Check the small print – If you’ve failed to read your commercial policy details and do not realise something isn’t covered, your claim may be rejected. Make sure your broker has gone through the policy details with you and that you are 100% aware of what’s covered and what’s excluded.
Provide strong evidence – In the event of an accident or incident claim, your commercial insurance broker will need as much information as possible to increase your chances of claims success. If you’re issuing guidance to drivers, (especially if English isn’t their first language), make sure they really do know what to do should an accident happen. Drivers involved in any road traffic accident must ensure that they report to the police if necessary, and that full details are exchanged at the scene, with registration numbers of all vehicles recorded. Any telematic or tachograph data and photographs from in-cab cameras can be used and may help to mitigate losses when your claim is being defended.
Act fast – Making your claim quickly increases your chance of success. Check with your broker about deadlines as many commercial insurers will require a claim to be made, for example, within 24 hours.
Be accurate – It is important to be accurate and honest when assessing values, reporting accidents or incidents on your business premises. Again, getting evidence on the scene can help prevent fraudulent claims, for example, about the number of people involved in an accident.Having robust internal processes already in place will ensure that all your staff know exactly what to do after an accident or incident and that any claim can be processed quickly and efficiently.
Our expert commercial haulage insurance team at Andrew Bourne & Co have processed many hundreds of commercial claims over many years. As your broker we’re acting as your agent throughout the claims process. By dealing with insurers for you, we can make sure that the correct protocols are followed and that you’re kept fully informed every step of the way. And we have the expertise and knowledge to be able to deal with any complicated claims that might arise.
When you take out a new policy with us or renew an existing one, we will make sure that every aspect of your transport operation is reviewed and included if required; from the type of commercial haulage work you do, the size and types of vehicles you operate, the cargo being transported and the staff and drivers you employ. As well as the vehicles and goods in transit (GIT), you’ll have premises or warehousing and will also require public and employers liability insurance.
As an established independent broker, our aim is to provide you with a comprehensive, bespoke insurance solution, backed up by a prompt, highly competent and dedicated claims-handling team. If you’d like to speak to us, please call David Crowther on 0116 272 0770.